WARSAW — The local highway and street departments have been busy working on local roads since being awarded the Community Crossings grant last year.

In 2016, Indiana Department of Transportation made a 50/50 matching grant they named “Community Crossings” grant available to local communities. The City of Warsaw applied for and received $720,000 which made a total $1.4 million available for the 2016/2017 asphalt season. Kosciusko County received $997,028 which made for a total of $1.9 million available for the 2016/2017 asphalt season.

Mayor Joe Thallemer, highway superintendent Scott Tilden and street superintendent Jeff Beehler met with House Representative David Wolkins and Senator Ryan Mishler Aug. 7 on Tippecanoe Street in Warsaw. The street is part of the micro-surfacing project currently underway.

Mayor Thallemer took the time to thank Wolkins and Mishler for their work in negotiating a solution to local road issues, and for bringing money to the local level.

Both acknowledged that local citizens are often hesitant when taxes increase, often not able to see their hard earned money at work. They hope that residents can see their tax dollars being put to good use and fixing the roads where it matters: locally.

This grant will cover the following in the City of Warsaw:

• .96 miles of resurfacing (Main Street – completed in 2016)
• 10.9 miles of rejuvenator for maintenance
• 14.4 miles of micro-surfacing for maintenance
• 11.8 miles of crack sealing for maintenance

This totals 38.06 miles and touches approximately 1/3 of Warsaw’s road network with some type of road maintenance.

Micro-surfacing is a cost effective method to help preserve the life of the pavement by applying a thin layer of asphalt. It increases structural integrity, improves aesthetics, creates a smoother driving surface and lasts around seven years.

Approximately $800,000 of the 1.4 million dollars was awarded for Micro- Surfacing various roads for the City of Warsaw.

This grant also covered the following wedge and level and paving resurfacing projects in Kosciusko County, completed September through November of 2016:

• Old State Road 15 – Armstrong Road to Levi Lee Road
• CR 350W – Old 30 to US 30
• County Farm Road– from CR 200S to CR 700S

Wedge and level is when the surface of a pavement is irregular, and the surface is required to be brought to a uniform grade and cross section. A leveling course is used when the road surface is so irregular that the surface cannot be corrected with the normal leveling capabilities of the paver.